Here we are, smack-dab in the depths of summer and Im gonna throw you a bit of a curveball this week; straying away from whites and pinks and, instead, championing four red wines to enjoy in the great outdoors. Im a proponent of serving red wines with just a hint of a chill on them any time of year. It helps keep structure in place, makes heavier wines nimble and really I find that reds served too warm can come across as flabby; a hazard when that bottle sits out a while on your picnic table (and no one wants to be flabby in the summer).
So when youre firing up the barbecue, feel free to plunge these in a bucket of ice for 10 minutes or so first, or throw them in the fridge for 20. Not to make them icy, but just enough to perk them up a bit. I promise, theyll still express all of their lovely character and wash down those burgers wonderfully.
If youre going to chill down a red, you want to stick to wines that dont have too many tannins, those dry, mouth-puckering compounds that seeds, stems and oak lend, making bigger wines quite sturdy. Looking for a softer-styled wine will often lead you to the thin-skinned Pinot Noir grape, and Oregon is one of the best places in the world it grows. This basket of earthy cherries, currants and raspberries is the result of sustainably-minded farming at 300 feet above sea level (hence the name,) hand-picked and sorted fruit and a nice little lashing of French oak. A pretty, flirty summer fling.
How fun is that name? Predonimently Grenache with a splash each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, think stewed cherries and blackberries with plenty of black pepper and a slight drizzle of balsamic reduction. Ive tried this wine a couple times now and it never fails to impress with both complexity and length.
A cooler-climate Shiraz means it wont be overripe and oh-so-sweet! Were more looking at dark chocolate, black licorice, eucalyptus and a little bit of pomegranate peeping through towards the finish, where youll note pitch-perfect American oak. A nice reminder of how bright and lovely Shiraz can be when its not too weighed down by high alcohol or over-abundant with oak.
From thirtysomething-year-old vines growing from gravel and limestone soil comes this super-fresh take on Cabernet Franc that totally dazzles with clean, red berry fruit and white pepper. You can chill this one more than the rest its so expressive and cheery that itll just keep dancin long after the sun goes down!
Looks like I was a tad spendier than usual this time around. Feel free to indulge, I promise to shine a light on some under-$15 delights next week!
